Equipment for cleaning spray guns and other jet equipped machines



FIG. 2

B. F. POE ET AL EQUIPMENT FOR CLEANING SPRAY GUNS AND OTHER JET EQUIPPEDMACHINES Filed June 3, 1955 Aug. 9, 1960 hi 4 r v 4 BENJAMIN F. POE

ALFRED N. BARNES FIG. 5

ATTORNEY.

United States. Patent ice gm, Augpwm EQUIPMENT FOR CLEANING SPRAY GUNSOTHER JET EQUIP-PED MACHINES. a

Benjamin F. Poe, Washougall, Wash. 1915 w. 37th St., Vancouver, Wash.);and Alfred N. Barnes, Washougal, Wash. (P.0. Box'672, St. Francisville,

Filed June a, 1955, SerQNo. $13,139

3-Claims. c1. 134 -102 Our invention relates to equipment forcleaningpa'int ment as our invention relates to isftcdious, timeconsuming and results in a *great deal of labor being spent'in cleaningsuch equipment which otherwise could be used more productively.

One of the objects of our invention is the provision carburetors, orother machinesemploying"jets'or small orifices, etc. without thenecessity of disassembling the machines or devices.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a means of cleaningpaint spray guns, 'carburetors, etc. without spending .a considerableamount of time-. in the cleaning operation. I

.A still further object of our invention is the-provision of ameansofcleaning paint spray guns, painting l form'18. I In the center of thescreen or mesh platform 18 is formed a circular hole 19 immediatelyabove a spray nozzle 20, A compressed air supply line 21 is secured intothe bottom of the spray nozzle 20 and runs through the .side of the tank10 to an air filter 23 and then to a source of compressed air. A solventsupply line 22 with its intake end near the bottom of the tank 10 runsthrough and is secured in the side of the nozzle 20. It is so positionedto the outlet end of the compressed air line 21 that a siphon action iscreated drawspray guns, such as those used in the painting of auto? 7ingl'solv'ent through the line 22 when wmpressed air is emitting fromthe outlet end of the line 21. Holes 24 in the crown portion of thenozzle 20 provide a means for solvent to be emitted into the area of thetank 10 above the level of the liquid solvent 25. The solvent employedwould 'be an :agent, such as lacquer or paint thinner, suitable todissolve the particular type of paint used'with the spray gun ortoolsbeing cleaned.

Our device is intended primarily for use in garages or automobilepainting businesses. In such establishments 1 there usually, if notalways, is a source of compressed tools, carburetors, etc..automatically so .that the equipment or machines will be immediatelyready for use without great loss of time in assembling, disassembling orotherwise preparing them for use.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device with the lid in place.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation view of the device taken along theline 22 of Figure l in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device with the lid removed.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the device with the lid in place.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the nozzle of the device, showing theapproximate relative positioning of the compressed air supply line andthe solvent supply line and the nozzle.

Referring further to the drawings:

The main tank 10 of. our device is provided with a removable lid 11,making a closed container unit. The lid 11 is provided with a handle 12and vent holes 13 through said lid between the handle 12 and the outeredges of the lid. Secured to the top of the lid and projecting over theouter periphery thereof are positioned a number of projections 14 whichcooperate with fastening means 15 secured to the sides of the tank 10 tofasten the lid 11 firmly in place on top of said tank. Secured to theunder surface of the lid 11 in such a manner as to form a dome shapedcrown within the tank 10 is a concave-convex bafile plate. The baflleplate air with numerous outlets -for such fixtures as grease guns, tirepumps, etc. The line- 21 of our device would be connected to such anoutlet for the purpose of providing compressed air through said line 21to its outlet bf equipment f a n g j-guns, vpainting 1061s end withinthe nozzle 20. The flow of the compressed air through the line 21'irandacross the outlet end of the solvent line" 22. within the =no zzle 20creates a suction whichdraws the liquid solvent 25 through-the lineZZ,atomizing (it :into a' m'ist of hue droplets within the nozzle 20" andexpelling :it through the holes 24 into the 'por- V relieved by means ofthe vent holes 13 positioned in the lid 11 above the baflie 16. However,the main portion of the atomized solvent mist will be deflecteddownwardly from the dome shaped bafiie plate 16 and will continue in thecircular and agitated motion 'thus created until it condenses and runsback into the solvent reservoir at the bottom of the tank. The action ofthe constantly moving solvent mist of fine droplets around, into andthrough the smallest crevices and openings of a spray gun, etc. washesaway and softens deposits of paint, or lacquer on them.

As a consequence of the continual atomizing of the solvent into a mistof fine droplets in the tank and its dissolving and cleaning action apaint spray gun which has been placed in the tank after its last use isready for service immediately by merely wiping it oif and blowing plaincompressed air through it. With our device it is no longer necessary fora painter to spend a considerable portion of his working time at the endof each painting operation in disassembling and painstakingly cleaningby hand the parts of a spray gun which is not to be used for a period oftime. He simply places the complete gun inside the tank 10 of ourdevice, secures the lid 11 in place, attaches the line 21 to a source ofcompressed air and forgets it until it is needed again. The person isthen free to go about other tasks while the gun 3 is being cleaned. Ourdevice, furthermore, will clean more than one paint gun or tool at atime, for several such items may be placed within the tank withoutimpairing the efiectiveness of the cleaning action of the device.

While the drawings and the description hereinabove show and describe thebaffle plate 16 as being 'concavoconvex in form, it can be shaped as afrustum of a cone with the small end secured to the under surface of thelid 11. Further, the vent holes 13 through the lid 11 may be eliminatedand pressure relieved by means of a loose fitting lid 11.

It is also to be understood that other jet equipped machines requiringcleaning, such as carburetors for automobiles, etc., may be velfectivelyhandled by our device by using the proper solvent.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

' 1. In paint spray gun and painting tool cleaning equipment: a tankopen at the top; a lid fittable on top of said tank, said lid havingvent holes therethrough and a concave-convex baffle plate secured to itsunder side, said baffle plate being dimensioned slightly smaller thanthe interior dimensions of the tank; a mesh platform positioned Withinthe lower portion of said tank, having a hole positioned at its center;brackets secured to the sides of the lower portion of said tanksupporting said platform; a nozzle positioned immediately below saidplatform and the hole therethrough, said nozzle having a hemisphericalupper surface and a plurality of holes through said surface; acompressed air supply line from a source of compressed air to the saidnozzle; a solvent reservoir formed by the lower portion of said tankbelow said mesh platform and below said nozzle; a solvent supply linefrom said solvent reservoir to the nozzle; and an air filter between thetank and the source of compressed air.

2. In equipment for cleaning painting tools, spray guns, carburetors andother jet equipped machines: a tank open at the top; a lid fittable ontop of said tank, said lid having vent holes therethrough and aconcavoconvex baflle plate secured to its under side, said bafile platebeing dimensioned slightly smaller than the interior dimensions of thetank; a mesh platform positioned within the lower portion of said tank,having a hole positioned at its center and being adapted to supportobjects to be cleaned; brackets secured to the side of the lower portionof said tank supporting said platform; a mist nozzle positionedimmediately below said platform and the hole therethrough, said mistnozzle having a hemispherical upper surface and a plurality of holesthrough said surface and being adapted to emit a mist of fine dropletsof solvent into said tank in agitated circulatory motion and tocooperate with said bafile plate to circulate and re-circulate said mistinto, around and through objects on said platform; a compressed airsupply line from a source of compressed air to said nozzle; a solventreservoir formed by the lower portion of said tank below said nozzle; asolvent supply line from said solvent reservoir to the said nozzle; andan air filter between the tank and the source of compressed air.

3. In equipment for cleaning painting tools, spray guns, carburetors andother jet equipped machines: a tank open at the top; a lid fittable ontop of said tank, said lid having vent holes therethrough and aconcavo-convex bafile plate secured to its under side, said baffle platebeing dimensioned slightly smaller than the interior dimensions of thetank, a mesh platform positioned within the lower portion of said tank,having a hole positioned at its center and being adapted to supportobjects to be cleaned; brackets secured to the side of the lower portionof said tank supporting said platform; a mist nozzle positionedimmediately below said platform and the hole therethrough, said nozzlehaving a hemispherical upper surface and a plurality of holes throughsaid surface and being adapted to emit a mist of fine droplets ofsolvent into said tank in agitated circulatory motion and to cooperatewith said baffle plate to circulate and re-circulate said mist into,around and through objects on said platform; a compressed air supplyline from a source of compressed air to the said nozzle; a solventreservoir formed below said nozzle by the lower portion of said tank;and a solvent supply line from said solvent reservoir to the said mistnozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,438,834 Keil Dec. 12, 1922 1,771,436 'Guett July 29, 1930 2,218,880Hanson Oct. 22, 1940 2,301,601 Wittwer Nov. 10, 1942 2,309,251 LittleJan. 26, 1943 2,570,021 Beach Oct. 2, 1951

